By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A FORMER Royal Bahamas Police Force officer who says she was raped at knifepoint by a man she had charged is urging authorities to close gaps in support for victims as reports of sexual violence persist.

Lynelle Clarke, 40, a volunteer with the Bahamas Crisis Centre, said many survivors of sexual and domestic violence avoid the police because they lack confidence in the process, a mistrust compounded by allegations that some officers have been involved in sexual assault cases.

“If they’re being named as persons that are involved in these crimes, you know what confidence does that give to a young girl who is going through the exact same thing?” said Ms Clarke, who has waived her right to anonymity. She called for the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the government to partner with trained advocates, including survivors, to help victims navigate reporting and recovery.

Ms Clarke said victims rarely get space to tell their story publicly and suggested a system that allows advocates to speak on their behalf while protecting identities.

She recounted being attacked in 2005, when three men broke into the apartment she shared with her five-month-old daughter and a roommate. One intruder recognised her. “Oh, this is the b**** who charged me,” he allegedly said, before dragging her into a bedroom and raping her, while another man assaulted her roommate. The men stole cash, designer bags and jewellery before fleeing. Police were alerted by the landlord.

The trauma, she said, was compounded when a local news broadcast named her on air. “They called my name very boldly across national television, and I will never forget it,” she said. “And so not only did I have to live with the persons that I worked with knowing. I had to live with the whole Nassau who knew me personally.”

Now an insurance agent and motivational speaker, Ms Clarke said she resigned from the RBPF in 2016 because continuing to work there was difficult after the assault, recalling occasions when she saw officers reading her rape file on a computer. She said the case never reached trial: the men were charged but died before conviction. At the time, a series of armed robberies plagued the area; she was the only witness prepared to testify, and a court date never came.

Ms Clarke praised the work of the RBPF’s dedicated domestic and sexual offences teams, but said more consistency is needed across the force. She argued that better training, clear protocols and active collaboration with crisis advocates would improve the experience for victims and encourage more survivors to come forward.